Animal-trap



(No Model.)

E. 0'. WALDURFP.

\ ANIMAL TRAP.

N0. 553,372. w Patented Jan. 21, 1896.

NITED STATES PATENT QFFIcE.

EUGENE C. VALDURFF, OF BUFFALO, NE YORK.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,372, dated January21, 1896.

Application filed May 22,1895. Serial No. 550,225. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EUGENE O. WALDUR F, a citizen of the United States,residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Animal-Traps and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention is an improvement in animaltraps of the class known asspoon traps; and it consists in the novel features of construction andcombination of parts hereinafter fully described, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, which illustrate one form in which I havecontemplated embodying my invention, and said invention is fullydisclosed in the following description and claims.

Referring to the said drawings, Figure 1 represents a top plan view of atrap embodying my invention, showing the trap set. Fig. 2 is a frontelevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the same.Fig. e is a View similar to Fig. 3, but showing the trap sprung.

In the drawings, A represents the base-block of the trap, formedpreferably of Wood and having a substantially circular opening a in thecenter and a slot a in the rear part of the block, extending from thesaid opening to the rear edge of the block, to receive the spoon.

B represents the spoon, formed preferably of wood somewhat thinner thanthe block A and fitting the opening a, said spoon having a tongue I)engaging the slot a. The spoon is pivoted to the block at its extremeend, and to accomplish this most cheaply and advantageously I prefer toform a horizontal groove or slot b in the rear face of the tongue I) andto drive a staple 71 into the rear face of the block A so that thecross-bar of said staple will engage the groove or slot 1), and thusform a pivotal connection therefor.

0 represents a vertical standard formed preferably of wood and securedto the baseblock A, adjacent to its rear edge, by suitable screws 0 c,as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, or otherwise. The standard 0 ispreferably provided with a horizontal recess 0' on each side adjacent tothe base-block A, as indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2.

D represents the spring-jaw of the trap, which I prefer to form in theshape of a bail of resilient material, the ends of which are coiled intovery stiff springs d d, which coils are driven into and secured in therecesses c c in the standard 0. The bail D is of such size as to lieupon the block A surrounding the spoon when the trap is sprung and toextend to a point near the top of standard 0 when the trap is set.

In the upper end of standard O the lockingplate E for the bail ispivot-ally secured in position to engage the same. I prefer to saw orotherwise form a groove or slit 0 in the top of standard (J, and toprovide the upper face of said standard with a transversely-extendinggroove 0 The locking-plate E is placed in the slit 0 and secured inposition by a pivot-pin lying in the groove 0 as shown. In order to holdthis pivot-pin rigidly in place in said groove I prefer to form it inthe shape of a staple having its horizontal cross-bar e engaging thepivotal aperture of the plate E and having downwardly-extending pointsa, which are driven into the standard C, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Thelocking-plate is provided adjacent to its upper front corner with alocking-recess e for engaging the bail D, the bottom of said recessbeing almost on a horizontal line with the pivot-pin e. The

lower edge of the plate E is provided with a downwardly-extendinglocking projection 6 which engages the tripping mechanism.

F represents a vertically-movable trip-rod secured to the standard 0 bya guide f and having at its upper end a cross-bar f, which extendsacross the slit e and is engaged by the locking projection a when thetrap is set. The trip-rod is pivotally connected with the spoon at itslower end and is provided with a suitable impaling-point to receive thebait. I prefer to give the said rod a return-bend at the lower end toform a loop f to engage a staple b or other suitable device connectedwith the spoon and to carry the end upward and forward to form theimpaling-point or bait-carrier f as shown, as this simplifies theconstruction.

To set the trap the bail D is raised until it engages the notch orrecess-c 111 the locking' raises the triprod until the cross-bar f isinrear of the projection e of the locking-plate when the trap is set, asshown in Fig. 3. It is advantageous in setting the trap to turn itbackward, so as to bring the standard 0 into a horizontal position.

It will be noted that the retaining-notch e being in substantially thesame horizontal plane as the pivot-pin e the strain exerted upon thelocking-plate, which is very considerable, is almost entirely borne bythe pivotpin, only sufficient pressure being exerted upon the trip-barby the projection e to hold the trip-bar and spoon in their raisedpositions, thus enabling the trap, to be sprung by a very light touch orpressure upon the spoon. It will also be noted that the point of pivoting the spoon is considerably in rear of the point of attachment of thetrip-rod,so that the trip-rod will be moved a sufficient distance tocertainly disengage the locking-plate.

When the animal steps upon the spoon in endeavoring to reach the bait,the trip-rod will instantly release the locking-plate and the bail willdescend with great force upon the animal, in most cases causing theextinction of life instantly.

It will be seen that this trap can be made very cheaply, and itsconstruction is so simple that it will not be liable to get out oforder.

What I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-

1. In a trap the combination with the base block and the verticalstandard, of the spring jaw secured to one of said parts, the spoonpivoted in rear of the spring jaw, the locking plate pivoted in theupper part of said stand ard, and having a locking recess substantiallyin the horizontal plane of its pivot, and a locking projection belowsaid plane, and a trip rod secured to said spoon forward of its point ofpivoting and having a part for engaging said locking projection,substantially as described. 7

2. In a trap the combination with the base block, and the verticalstandard, of the spring jaw, secured to one of said parts adjacent toits point of intersection with the other, the spoon pivoted in rear ofsaid spring and standard, and having its upper face in the plane of theupper face of said base block when the trap is set, the locking platepivoted in the upper part of the standard, having a locking recess in asubstantially horizontal line with its point of pivoting, and having alooking projection below said recess, and the trip rod secured to thespoon in front of its point of pivoting, having a sliding engagementwith the standard and having a part for engaging said lockingprojection, said trip rod having a bait support secured thereto,substantially as described.

3. In a trap the combination with the base block provided with a pivotedspoon having its upper face in the plane of the upper face of the saidblock, a vertical standard provided with a slit in its upper end and alocking plate pivotally mounted in said slit and having a locking recesssubstantially in line with its point of pivoting and a lockingprojection, of a spring actuated bail adapted to engage said lockingrecess, and a trip rod secured to said spoon and having a portion lyingacross said slit and adapted to engage the locking projection of saidlocking plate, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EUGENE O. YVALDURFF.

Vitnesses:

FRANK I-I. CALLAN, J OSEPH E. KEAN.

